


A Test of Strength

by ajstyling



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Bisexual Claude von Riegan, Claude is hard for buff Hilda, F/M, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-14 20:07:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21021524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ajstyling/pseuds/ajstyling
Summary: As with a lot of things in Claude’s life, it all started with some shameless flirting. In this case, "it" refers to Hilda arm wrestling Dimitri on Claude's behalf.





	A Test of Strength

**Author's Note:**

> Story was inspired by this art: https://twitter.com/mettwursttoast/status/1180450651534479360?s=20 
> 
> This is my first attempt at writing a story for ANY fandom, so apologies in advance for any mistakes.

As with a lot of things in Claude’s life, it all started with some shameless flirting.  
\---

Claude quickly made his way through the monastery and to the training room. Teach had been begging him to work on some new gambits for weeks and now seemed as good a time as any to finally spend some time learning them. 

The first thing Claude noticed as he entered training room was a series of loud, exaggerated grunts coming from one corner. In the corner, Dimitri was meticulously practicing a series of rolls, flips, and sword thrusts. For some reason, and Claude had a strong suspicion the reason started with an F and rhymed with helix, Dimitri was practicing all of these maneuvers shirtless. Dimitri’s body glistened with sweat as he grunted his way through his workout. 

Claude rolled his eyes before letting out a loud whistle, “Looking good your highness. I bet you could snap those training dummies like toothpicks.”

Dimitri stopped mid-thrust, turning towards Claude, “Claude! Good to see you finally taking your training seriously, but you must know that your attempts to distract me with flattery are useless.”

“Your highness, you really should start believing people when they compliment you.”

“I’ll start believing the compliments when the people giving them to me aren’t a rival house leader.” 

Claude shook his head and moved towards the rack of training bows off to the side of the room. He gently lifted up one after another, each time drawing the bowstring as far back as possible before setting the bow back down on the rack. After passing over five or six bows, Claude finally found one that suited him removed it from the rack before heading towards the training dummies. 

As Claude notched an arrow, he recited the instructions Teach had given him. Duck underneath the arrows, feign left and push his imaginary Wyvern right, pull two arrows from his quiver, load and fire the first arrow, flip off Barb (his imaginary Wyvern’s name was definitely Barb) to throw the enemies off, fire the second arrow, whistle for Barb to fly low and end by jumping on her back on flying off into the sunset. Duck, feign, pull, load, fire…

“Claude.” Claude’s recitation was interrupted by Dimitri calling him from across the room. 

Claude looked up, “Your highness?”

“Since you think so highly of my strength, I thought you might provide me an occasion for testing that strength with a friendly competition.”

“Yeah? What did you have in mind?” Claude said with a disinterested smile.

“I thought we might engage in an arm wrestling match. Something to truly test our might against one another.” 

Claude rolled his eyes. “It’s hard to imagine something I’d like to do less.”

“Ahh” Dimitri nodded, “Perhaps you are scared that the strength you tease me about would too much for you?”

Claude shook his head and gave a small chuckle. “Dimitri, is this just another chance for you to show off for Felix, because between you and me, I think you can just ask him out.”

Dimitri spluttered and his face turned bright red, but nevertheless he persisted, “Your nonsense cannot distract me from your cowardice Claude.”

They went back and forth like this for several minutes as Claude lazily made his way through his workout. When Claude left the training room for the night, having made satisfactory progress on the gambits, he hoped to never hear about arm wrestling Dimitri again.  
\---

Never one to be deterred, Dimitri completed his workout and left the training room in search of Claude. He found him in the cafeteria eating with Hilda. Besides Claude and Hilda, the cafeteria was mostly empty--just a few straggler students hanging out at a table far away from the Golden Deer duo. They were far too busy whispering conspiratorially to notice when Dimitri entered the cafeteria. As he approached the table where they sat, he watched Hilda lean in close to Claude and snatch away his dessert with an impish smile. Claude looked back and forth from his now stolen dessert to Hilda and shook his head but gave a small shrug and made no efforts to take it back. The massive grin on Claude’s face told Dimitri that he didn’t mind too much about the lost sorbet. Dimitri hovered behind them for a moment longer, letting them continue to whisper a bit before interrupting their conversation by clearing his throat. 

“Oh, hey your Highness.” Claude gave a small nod but didn’t take his eyes off of Hilda. “Need something?”

“As a matter of fact, I do, Claude.” Dimitri declared. “I need you to arm wrestle me.” 

“Oh for the love of Seiros.” Claude muttered.

“You tease me incessantly and yet you refuse my simple challenge.” Dimitri continued. “If you won’t accept my challenge then I must accept that you are scared.”

“Dimitri you can accept whatever you want,” Claude shook his head, “Now, if it’s all the same to you, Hilda and I have a lot of scheming to do.”

“I’ll arm wrestle you.” 

At this, both Claude and Dimitri snapped to look at Hilda who was slowly eating her stolen sorbet. Hilda showed no signs of having spoken, but both Claude and Dimitri heard her clearly.

“You’ll arm wrestle me…” Dimitri said slowly. 

“Well, sure.” Hilda said after a short pause. She slowly scooped another bite of her stolen sorbet into her mouth. “It seems kinda fun.”

“Uhhh, Hilda while I appreciate your offer I think it might not be very fun for you.” Dimitri said.

“Oh, why not?” Hilda looked up at Dimitri with an exaggerated frown.

“Well, I just don’t think we’ll be a good match. Perhaps you might try arm wrestling...ummm.. Annette?” 

Claude grimaced silently, ready for Hilda to unload.

“Ohhh, so Mr. Royalty thinks that little ol’ Hilda isn’t strong enough to wrestle him?” Undeterred, Hilda ate another scoop of sorbet.

“No, no. That’s not it, I just…” Dimitri stumbled over his words.

“Oh, so you’re scared of losing?”

“Definitely not.”

“Great! So let’s do it.”

Claude laughed to himself as he watched Dimitri struggle to find words. Hilda never failed to amaze him with her sharp, clever tongue and uncanny ability to make everyone do what she wants. 

After a moment of spluttering and struggling to find a way out, Dimitri sighed loudly and conceded, “Alright, Hilda, we can arm wrestle, but I hope you know I won’t go easy on you.”  
\---

And all of this was how Claude currently found himself crowding around a table in the cafeteria with nearly every other student at Garreg Mach. Hilda and Dimitri sat at the table each with one arm bent on the table in front of them and the other held behind their backs. 

“Now, Hilda, I hope you know it’s not in my nature to go easy on you.” Dimitri said.

“Oh, that’s quite alright. I just hope we can both have fun.” Hilda smiled and with a quick flick of her head tossed her hair over her shoulder. 

Both of them reached across the table and clasped the other’s hand tight. Grasping Hilda’s hand, Dimitri was surprised to find callouses where he expected smooth, soft skin. It was at this moment that Dimitri suspected he may have bitten off more than he could chew.

Hilda flashed another big smile, “You ready, Mr. Royalty?”

Dimitri swore he saw a predatory glint in Hilda’s eyes, but it was gone in an instant replaced once again with a little smile and puppy-dog eyes. “R-ready, Hilda.”

Lysithea gave a quick countdown and they were off. True to his word, Dimitri made no efforts to go easy quickly applying as much pressure as he could to Hilda’s arm. He expected one strong push would be all it takes to win the match, but was shocked to find that despite his best efforts, Hilda’s arm hadn’t moved an inch.

Claude found himself gasping with everyone else around the table as Hilda and Dimitri’s arms stood dead-locked in the center of the table for one beat and then another. In that brief moment, it seemed as if no one in the cafeteria was breathing. Then, all at once, with a quick flick of her wrist Hilda pushed against Dimitri’s hand and slammed it against the table. The match was over in mere seconds and Hilda hadn’t even broken a sweat. 

“Fuck that’s hot” Claude muttered under his breath.

Hilda giggled, “Oh wow! I can’t believe little ol’ me won.” 

“Ah, yes well…” Dimitri fumbled for words feeling a profound sense of shock and embarrassment. 

The crowd of students gathered sat silent for a moment, trying to understand what they witnessed. Then, as if a seal had been broken, they all began to clap and cheer and crowd around Hilda offering high fives and hugs.

While students crowded around Hilda, Dimitri sat silently with a deep-set blush on his face.

Claude moved around the table to stand next to him giving him a gentle pat on the back, “Well, that should teach you to underestimate Hilda, your Highness.”

Claude glanced away from Dimitri and towards the crush of people surrounding Hilda. Raphel had picked her up and set her on the table as a chant echoed through the cafeteria, “Hilda! Hilda! Hilda! Hilda!”

Claude caught Hilda’s eyes and she silently mouthed, “Smoked that fucker.” With a wink and a smile she turned back towards to students surrounding her basking in their praise for a few moments longer.

Claude sighed happily. So, this is what being in love feels like.

**Author's Note:**

> Yell with me about Fire Emblem on Twitter: @ajstyyling


End file.
